Raising Dawn
by Arinlianette
Summary: What happens when 17-year-old, Dawn, moves to Forks, a shady town? Can she handle the pressure of the happenings of this God forsaken place and battle the secrets held within her family? OC pairings unrevealed. Rewrite. Better summary inside...
1. PREFACE

**Story Title: Raising Dawn  
Category: Twilight  
Character(s): Edward C. and Jacob B.  
Rating: T (may change in the future)  
Genre: Supernatural/Tragedy  
Pairing(s): unrevealed  
**

**Main Character: Dawnison Fleck**

**Summary: Dawn is a 17-year-old teen who moves to Forks, a shady town full of secrets, much to her disdain. But her true misery begins when she meets the town heartthrob, Edward Cullen, a mysterious teen whom holds just as many secrets that she does. Can she handle the pressure of the happenings of this God forsaken place and battle the secrets held within her family? Rewrite.**

******A/N: Sorry in advance, fellow _Raising Dawn_ readers! If you've read the preface and chapters 1-4, you don't have to reread for new content. I just fixed the titles.**

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**_preface_**

No one knew the struggles that continuously made themselves apparent. No one wanted anything evil or dark creeping into their lives. Yet, no one knew that those evil and dark omens that went bump in the night were real and very lethal. No one knew that our family had become like Them, but different. That our lives, now odd, were in danger. More so than theirs.

Every day, thoughts roamed my head, ones that didn't belong to me. Probing, as I called it, became more and more of a nuisance and it soon became clear that it wasn't going to go away like last time. The human mind is a difficult thing to understand, yet I can so easily pick one apart without laying a finger on them.

Every night, the same nightmares pierced my sub-conscious.

Running. Screaming. Death.

Typical scares but with much more intensity. Most people dreamt about money, sex, and power. Mine were nowhere near as silent. I'm surprised I haven't killed myself yet. The only thing holding to this earth is the knowledge that it could be worse—a lot worse. Like missing a soul worse. Seeing as I'm ridiculously curious and cursed, I'm probably the only sane person who knows what can get into the mind, and what can escape it. It was a simple task that happened to blessed ones on more than one occasion.

Blessed is what they were.

Aren't I blessed too? Don't I have a nose, a mouth, a pair of ears and eyes like everyone else? Well, yeah, but that is the only thing I share with the blessed ones. The rest is history.

And if one does not believe me, they must know the one qualification about me that proved it.

Flaws.

And my biggest flaw just so happened to be towering over me.

You know those moments you wished you had been born a genius baby who weighed out all the cause and effects in milliseconds before making a small decision? Well, this was one of those moments.

_Why did I have to make that stupid phone call?_

He sickly smiled down at my pathetic attempt of a getaway. "Where do you think you're going?" he purred, tilting his head ever so slightly.

The hairs on my back stood still.

_And why did it have to be _him_?_

~ 0 ~

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**There you have it!**

**It helps if you review and give your opinion on the chapters. Also, suggestions are very welcome...**


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome Home

**_Disclaimer: ALL characters in this chapter belong to Arinlianette...Me._**

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**_1_**

**_welcome home_**

The verdant scenery was quickly passing as I lazily rubbed my forehead across the window beside me. A slight echo of laughter filled the whole truck as my older brother, Spencer, chuckled at the immature expressions being portrayed on my face throughout the not-so-silent car ride. I never thought I would ever say this, but writing about what I saw and heard around me was actually becoming boring. I'm sure people don't care to read about my fucked up life, but _that_ would be better than _this_. And this is language I don't use. I sighed, putting my journal away.

My two dweeb cousins each found ways to occupy themselves in the back of the car: one having a drum solo on the back of my seat, the other watching old Bruce Willis movies on his portable DVD player.

The drummer, Nedworth, was one of my older cousin. With his spiky, scarlet hair and piercing, lime-green eyes always glinting in the light, you would be fooled into thinking he was one of God's little angels sent straight down from heaven. In fact, I'd say he was, if I didn't know better. But the one thing I've always loved about Ned was the eager manner he suddenly illustrated when it came to helping his family out. He would illustrate it when it came to playing in our band-when-we-had-nothing-to-do as children. He's our part-time drummer, part-time DJ, and full-time inspiration. When he gets a hold on some kind of barred, stick-like things, he beats the heck out of stuff

Like my seat for instance.

If anything were to come between Ned and his drumming, there would surely be a hoodwinking angel in our midst. His twin brother was a whole other story.

Edward, aka Nedworth's twin brother, is totally the opposite of the description just heard. He's quiet, anti-social, and temper-mental, unlike Ned who was somewhat loud, super-talkative, and angelic in his actions. His identical lime-green eyes and shaggy, red hair didn't show his personality (which could be one of pure terror). I mean, sure, he could be sweet. But that temper of his will always get the best of him. When he was younger, he was put into anger-management, but he was later diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder.

"Hey, Ned, could you stop beating Dawn's seat? Geez…it never did anything to you," he asked. He pressed pause on the little, portable DVD player that was currently playing _The Fifth Element_.

Ned flicked his bangs to the side and looked at his annoyed brother.

"Yeah. Sorry, Dawnie," though he knew it didn't bother me. No one wanted to frustrate his brother.

"The seat forgives you," I muttered.

In case you haven't realized it yet, my name is Dawnie. I usually had people I don't really know call me by my other name, Dawn. But my full first name, Dawnison, was null and void to me. I haven't been called it in such a long time. Whenever the substitute teacher did a roll call, I never responded. The paper _clearly_ stated that I went by Dawn. God, teachers. While I slouched in my little loser corner, they stood calling—no, chanting my name to get my attention. Don't ever worry about me responding. I never did.

The twins' twelve-year-old brother was blaring music from his iPod in the very back. The shoulder-length, auburn hair swayed back and forth as he lightly bobbed his head to the heavy rock metal. God knows _what_ he was listening to.

"Heath, I'm thirsty," I said looking over my shoulder, trying to grab his attention. He showed no sign of actually hearing me. He casually laid his right foot on the red cooler, while glancing out of the window-shield in front of him. He obviously didn't wanna talk, but I don't think I care.

"Heath, I'm talking to you!" This time, I knew he had heard me 'cause everyone else in the car did. As evidence, he coincidentally turned up the volume of the aggressive music and forced his line of concentration on counting trees as we passed them.

I never liked Heath.

When our parents were taken from us, my two brothers and I came to live with our cousins, and he's been on the edge with the whole family ever since. Personally, I think he just has abandonment issues or something. When Peter turned three and a half and started comprehending speech, he was dubbed the baby of the family, something Heath used to be.

Peter was my other brother whom I've always envied. He had all my mother's looks, setting him apart from Spencer and I: A full patch of golden-blond hair, crystal blue eyes and slightly tanned skin. You could hardly tell we were related.

Spencer—my older, graduated-from-high-school brother—and I took after my father's side of the family. We all had some variation of red hair, green eyes, and terribly pale skin. Of course, that differed depending on whether or not the other parent had strong, dominant features unlike our own. Like the twins and their hair's tendency to randomly go dark or light, fighting the dominance of their mother's black hair. I never really forgave myself for not looking more like Peter. Like my missing mother.

Every day, I wished she was here. Sometimes, I would look I look in the mirror and it's like she's there inside of me. I know…Pathetic. She's gone now and I should accept that, but my senses told me different—like she was here, walking among the living blessed ones. What kind of insanity was that?

Lightly, Peter interrupted my thoughts by placing his little hand on my clenched one, which made me look back at him. "You alright, Dawnie?" he asked in his still high-frequency voice.

"Pete, I'm fine."

"Really…?"

"Yeah," I responded with a fake smile, "you worry too much…"

He weakly smiled, thinking it would turn my mood upside down. Clearly, nothing was going to help; I had an attitude problem and I knew it.

Everyone always expected me to be in a jolly mood—if that was even possible. God, the mere mention of the word made me want to pound someone's face in. I probably sound like some rebellious freakazoid who gets nothing out of life. That's because I kind of am one. And yes, I said freakazoid.

"Snotball, she's as gloomy as she always is. Nothing to worry about, God, mind your own goddamn business…," Heath expressed, clearly having problems with younger children.

"S-sorry, Dawnie…," Peter mumble, ashamed.

"No, you're not. You have nothing to be sorry for," I told him before turning back to Heath, "Watch your language."

"Yeah, he does. Just because he's scared or worried about something or someone doesn't mean comforting it with 'smiles' and 'rainbows' will actually make it any better. And, I can talk anyway _damn_ way I want." Heath was starting to try my nerves much quicker than anticipated. You don't tell a six-year-old, _my _six-year-old such discouraging words.

"What's it to you? He can concern himself with whatever he wants."

"Seriously, Dawn? Sooner or later, he'll have to deal with It on his own. You of all people know that! Do you really want him whining his ass off about something we can't help with?"

"Yeah, but right now—_right now_, Heath, he's too young! There's no telling _what_ will happen! He's not ready."

Why did he have to bring this up now?

"Probably won't be ready for another decade," he said smugly.

I answered stiffly. "Why do you say that?"

"Clue in on the facts, Dawnie. Just look at you! We can _plainly_ tell that you repressing It on _your_ own did good…" he explained, letting every word drip with cynicism.

That struck a nerve.

"What is your deal?"

"_My_ deal? I don't believe I have one!"

"Sure about that, Wonder-Bread?" I countered trying to get him closer to that edge.

"God, I thought I told you to stop calling me that _years_ ago!"

"Oh my god, Heath, _that was last week_!"

Last week, Heath had eaten too much sugar which resulted in ultimate humiliation. He put his underwear over his head, tied his pants around this neck, and 'flew' around chanting "Wonder-Bread, Wonder-Bread" while throwing slices of bread from the canopy as if they were 'Bread-Bolts'. Poor kid… I think mental-illness runs in our family.

He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again, knowing that I had won. Instead, he came up with the quickest, yet most fragile thing he could think of. "I hate you—"

"Love ya, too," I said trying to end the argument right there. All it did was start a new one.

"Why must you two fight so much?" my father's older brother, Will, yelled.

"Don't look at me, Dad. It's Dawnie who's always starting stuff—" Heath said trying to get me into trouble.

"What? I don't do anything! It's people like the _Tactless Lad_ over there who give me so many bad names!" I accused.

"Come one, Dawnie. Cut the innocent crap. Everyone in this car, including you, knows damn well how much of a rogue you are."

"He has a point, Dawnie—"

I couldn't believe it. My dear uncle, who always called me his favorite, had just sided with the prince of pessimism.

"Excuse me? Am I hearing you right?" I pressed the side of my hand next to my ear to indicate what I was asking.

"—_But_ Heath is wrong in speaking in the way that he does and it's him who should appologize for getting into your cousins' business—"

"What?" he protested.

"I don't really care whose fault it is," Ned intervened, "I just don't think fighting like this is setting a good for some of us_."_

He was referring to Peter. I hated forgetting he was in the car too, which I did quite a bit. I shouldn't be doing this in front of him, he'll just end up like Ed and I. Though, we never really talk about it, we've _all _had some trouble controlling ourselves, whether it's orally or mentally.

One might wonder what I mean by "mentally". It's something we never talked about - rule out today of course - that we always referred to as It. You see, it all goes back to the day my parents were no longer with us. Long story short, someone attacked us, gave us powers, killed my father, and took my mother. And it all happened while Peter was a baby.

We all now have these _abilities_ if you may call them that. Edward could control and produce fire, I know that's odd but—hey, I told you we were weird. And I'm sure the fire had something to do with his temper problems, not to mention his body temperature is always hot as opposed to his brother.

Ned always felt cold like a vampire, but he didn't feel it ever. He was never hot in the summer time nor in any hostile environment. I guess his body naturally readjusted the water in the air and made him cool at all times. Oh yeah, his power is over water...I think. I mean, I've never seen him use it in a heavy dose or whatever. I know he can move the water in the tub to look like animals to amuse Peter during his baths.

Heath was weird in my opinion. He talked to plants as far as I knew. I always imagined he would've gotten invisibility or something rough like turning into rock, but _nope_. He talks to _flowers_. Ha! It was a cool power but it was Heath who owned it! What would he use _that_ for? I mean, he can't even will them to attack people like Layla in _Sky High_! No wonder he was sour.

Spencer and I were weirdos too. There was no denying it. Spencer controlled light, like sun rays and what not. Also, he could become invisible (bending light) and stuff. It was _beyond_ cool and he totally had it all controlled. None of the rest of us had our powers completely in check.

And me?

I can bend shadows (useless power if you ask me) and can sometimes feel things though I never read them well. I used to also read minds when I was younger, when I first got the powers. But it slowly went away and I don't try to use it either. But sometimes, bad things happened around me, like I was unlucky. Which is the main reason why we're in the van with our things packed and moving to another location. '_"Thanks to Dawnie",'_ we're moving to the Washington state, _far_ from Illinois. Thanks guys for believing in me…You know, I once sent a fellow student rushing to the hospital in an ambulance. All he did was touch me. So as you can see…Maybe this move's underlying motive would do me some good.

"…You're right," I agreed.

"Good. Dawnie's got the idea. You gonna settle your differences, Heath?" my hopeful uncle asked.

For some reason, Will never received any powers. I never understood that part of the conversation the man-who-made-us-freaks and I had before I got the powers. I know, I'm not making sense again with this one …I think I'm going to stop thinking about it now.

After a moment of silence, Heath responded in defeat. "…Yeah…"

"Atta boy…And watch that language." Heath sent a glare to his father before groaning.

Sooner than I thought, we had finally come across a sign that said "Welcome to Forks"—more like "Welcome to Your Doom". That's what it said to me anyway. I look out of the window and knew I would really enjoy it here. I know. Some people would shreik at its drab look, but I grow to love it very quickly.

By the looks of everyone else's faces, they did _not_ feel the same. Spencer, Heath, and Ed were in hysterics. Ned was probably just in shock due to the _un-pureness_ of the site. The sky was bland and I'm pretty sure that we're not going to see our beloved sun ever again. A small price to pay for a new start.

_You can get through this Dawn,_ I tried reassuring myself.

We slowly drive through the streets of Forks, careful to analyze the place from head-to-toe. Me being me, I mentally recorded pictures in mind of every little detail about the areas we pass. Like the color, numbers, and landscaping of every doorstep, or the names of the streets we drive on to get to our destination. Of course it didn't _really_ work after a week, but it made me feel reassured.

In my opinion, our destination was a lost cause. You know the place you're supposed to feel safe from the baddies that lurked every corner, to feel free to be yourself, and not be judged by others—the place that you grow up in, learning the values of life and how to have yet - _another_ home like the former in the distant future? I think you get my drift. With the people I live with, the things I can do, the things I can't say in public…The word "home" is no vocabulary word in my common dictionary. I'd use words more like penitentiary or _incarceration_. Yep. That's what my life was like. One of a kind I'm sure…

Finally, we entered a small, little district called Oak Towers. The houses were of the same design, but different in their own way. Most of the lawns were spick n' span down to the smallest blade of grass. Not to mention _really_ green. Seriously, the nature around here is green and beautiful all year long! At least, now I know that not everything here's going to entirely suck.

We traveled for another three blocks before finally reaching our destination. Will cautiously slid our black Chevy Tahoe up the steep driveway facing us before coming to a stop. After grabbing our individual bags, we filed out of the car and onto the sod of our abode which wasn't too shabby. We examined what we would be living in for the next year or so.

The exterior of the house was nice enough. The walls were a dark yellowish color with a pinch of grey. The hinges, windows, and rooftops were pure white with some mossy patches converging on some areas while most of the front was being attacked by bushel and roots, making it look old, but modern.

I think it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

As us children stood in a line across the lawn, some elderly couple peaked out of their front window from across the street and made some judgmental comments. It's not like I have super-hearing or anything, the old lady is snickering while pointing and scowling at us. Don't exactly have to be a genius to know when someone's talking about you.

"Looks like we're going to live another day…"

"Yeah, don't you just love the feeling of this place?" I asked Ned who was busy trying not to cry about how small this house was.

"…Yeah. It's totally…awesome," Ned replied with a tight smile.

"Heh, calm down. This place doesn't wreak _that_ bad. I mean, we can finally have that tree house you always wanted...?" Ed smirked, casting a joking look at his brother.

"Huh, you think you're _so _ funny..."

The two continued their uselessly sibling banter while the rest of us watched in amusement.

Jim finally stepped out of the car and stood between the twins and everyone else. He placed both his hands on Ed and mine's shoulders and smiled, looking up at the house.

"Don't I know how to pick 'em?" Although, no one said anything, I wasn't convinced that it was a rhetorical question because Uncle Jim's frown seemed to have answered the silence. "What? You don't like it?"

"I do!" Peter declared, finally taking his wet finger out of the crevices of his mouth.

"That's the spirit, bucko!" He ruffled Peter's hair. "Change is a very great thing! Look, the moving truck is here! Let's start bringing everything in."

Heath groaned before following us back to the van.

~ 1 ~

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**Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 2: Kennedys & Coopers

**This chapter is a rewrite of the original chapter, "The Kennedys", and has an added scene toward the end. MUCH longer chapter then before. Also, check out my profile to the url address with Dawn's outfit for the dinner party.**

**All characters in this chapter belong to Arinlianette...Me.**

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**_2_**

**_kennedys & coopers_**

Things weren't getting done as quickly as we had planned. I guess Spencer and I have the most belongings sitting along the back of the moving truck, meaning: more work for us. Not only am I carrying two of my bags, but also one of Pete's. He's a really small person, so there's no way I'm letting him do all of his work (and yes, I do baby him too much!) It may take people a while to realize but carrying things isn't exactly one of my strengths when I really didn't feel like it. So, I wouldn't be surprised if I passed out any time during this moving activity. The certified disease would be called I'mTooLazyToCare Syndrome.

Before I realized it, my face was parallel from the pavement in the blink of an eye. But the face plant never came.

"Did I hit the ground yet?" I meant to mentally ask myself.

"Considering the fact that you're still being cradled in my arms, I don't think so," an unknown husky voice answered.

I slowly opened my left eye to see a deep, chocolate one staring directly at me. Confused, I opened both eyelids to find brown ones looking back. I glanced down a bit to get a bigger picture, but only found fleshy lips beckoning me. _Wow…_

"I get that a lot."

Before I could catch myself from continuing my staring exhibition, they slowly cracked into a lopsided-smile while letting out a chortle. Realizing what I was doing, I mentally slapped myself and steadied my hand onto his strong shoulders.

"Oh, gosh…Did you hear me think that?" I asked breathlessly.

He furrowed his eyebrow. "Um…no, unless I can read minds and didn't know about it." I blushed. "You were talking out loud."

I mouthed an 'oh' before trying to get myself to look away from him as I blushed. He set me back on the solid ground smiled. I started backing up nervously, "Thanks, I'm gonna just—!"

The back of my foot collided with something not stationary and I went down. Thank heavens, my wrist caught my fall. My eyes were closed but I could still hear the skateboard rolling away. I moaned with a childish tone and tried to stand up. I guess I failed 'cause the stranger had his arms around me again. I clung to his arm and let him do all the work. My left calve was burning from being scratched and my arm's heat was increasing due to the impact.

He looked to his side to where Ed was. And, boy, was he angry! His green eyes landed on my figure before slightly turning red for half a second. The look on Ed's face must've been startling because the boy threw both of his hands up as if to say he didn't do anything.

Ed began to make his way over to me but Spencer stopped him. His hand was rested on Ed's shoulder before clenching with a lot force. Thankfully, Ed got the message and just glared at the stranger instead of attacking him.

Stranger asks, "You OK?" with his adorable eyes looking worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine—"

"Dawnie, you're not fine," Spencer stated.

"Yes, I am, Spencer. Stop worrying so much. It's nothing I can't handle," I explained, trying desperately not to worry, or better yet frightenthe humanesque angel in front of me.

Beautiful.

"That's what I was afraid of you saying," he muttered. I rolled my eyes.

The boy stood forward to see the damage, lightly running his finger along the wrist line where it was red. My stomach twisted in knots. "I can't believe that happened…"

"Oh, don't feel bad. It's my fault." I was half-way telling the truth. He didn't need to take any blame for distracting me.

"Still, if I'd seen the board behind you, then you wouldn't have fell."

"But if you didn't catch me in the first place, it would've been worse news than this, especially for my head."

Battling with himself, he responded. "…I guess you're right. But, are you sure you're OK?" he asked raising his eyebrow.

"Y—"

"Don't say it," Spencer demanded while looking at my wrist.

As I smiled, amused, the stranger chuckled. "I'm Samuel Kennedy. No nickname. I live in the house to the left of yours," he said throwing me another one of his amazing smiles.

I couldn't help but stare at his massive, dark arms. It was as if God, Himself, had carved them—which is _very_ possible when I think about it. And, oh my God, the fact that he was wearing a _muscle shirt..._drool much.

Once again, he caught my lack of an attention span and stifled a laugh. Spencer must've seen it, because he decided to break my gazing by speaking.

"I'm Spencer Fleck. And this is my little sister, Dawn," he said placing a hand on my head.

"It's nice to meet you both." He outstretched his hand to shake ours.

Ed marched his way over with his keyboard in hand. Before he could do anything, I stepped in front of Samuel, smiling.

"Ed! Hey...This is Samuel," I introduced smiling like a fool. "Samuel, this is my older cousin, Edward. Um, Ed...say _hi_," I said not letting my smile falter one bit. Ed looked at me, then to Samuel.

Samueluel weakly waved. "Hey."

Ed answered with a frown. "Hurt my cousin again—I'm not even going to finish the sentence," he threatened. He slowly walked away while looking back at Samuel. He gave him _t__he look_. He muttered, "I'm watching you," before disappearing into the house.

"Is he going to hurt me?" Samuel asked sarcastically.

I turned to him. "Most likely, but don't worry. He doesn't usually hurt guys before he gets to know them," I answered casually.

That's when he looked at me crazy. "Is this a normal thing?"

"Sort of…not really," I paused, "I mean I've never seen him do something bad to someone for a bad reason," I finished thoughtfully.

"Not unless you count the waitress at the diner who kept flirting with him," Heath intervened while hauling his luggage. "He _was_ going out with Cindy Carson before her and the waitress got into a cat fight."

_Of course that story is going to help him feel better..._ (mentally rolls eyes) Dumbass.

"Did he hit the girl?"

"No, he's against hitting girls…He hit the waitress' friend, a cook, who wasn't even in the room when the fight happened—"

"Why are you telling him this story?" I asked, confused.

He shrugged his shoulders. "'Cause I feel like it. 'Sides, Samuel here is our new neighbor; he deserves to know what's camping out next door—"

"Heath! Can you go be emo somewhere else?" I demanded.

He scowled at me before walking away. He's not really emo, I just know he doesn't like being called that.

"That was my little cousin, Heath…And as you can tell…he hates me."

"Yeah…"

And that's when I really got a good look at Samuel. Yes, I know that this whole commentary of my thoughts has been filled with how good he looked, but I didn't realize he looked _this_ good.

Samuel was tallish, maybe 5' 9", and had a velvety, coffee-colored tone that was just tasty-looking. His torso, which I'm sure is specially-chiseled, with a white Haynes t-shirt and complimented his legs with grey track pants and tennis shoes. He must've been running 'cause he was H.O.T! In both literary terms. A small bit of sweat was evident on his shirt and his chest was aviating up and down, not rapidly, but calmly. Still enough evidence to tell he had just been running.

Oh my God…He just smiled…again. That smile of his seems to always find a way to melt my insides…inward sigh…

"Again, sorry about him. He's a real cynical little demon who never got to ride that pink pony when he was 3," I explained indifferently.

Samuel paused before laughing. "You're kidding?"

"Clearly. And now you know about my odd randomness," I giggled.

Still smiling, he said, "Yeah, it's cute." I paused and raised my eyebrows interested. "No—I mean…I think the randomness is kind of cute—you know…," he tensely bantered on, coughing uncomfortably, while, I think, blushing.

Not wanting to dwell on the awkward silence thing that was soon to be coming, I started walking back to the truck and was on my way to the luggage as Samuel yelled after me, "Nice meeting you!"

An hour into moving stuff, Samuel had joined us back outside after going home to take care of some stuff, having changed into work boots and leather gloves to help out. Peter and I were busy sitting on the couch in the driveway while eating some hotdogs that I had cooked up after both of our things were put into our respected rooms. The rest of the boys were currently working on transfering all the matresses to the rooms upstairs and the one in the basement for Heath to claim.

"Dawnie. What are you doing?" Spencer asked while sitting a crate a pillows on the seat cushion that was occupied.

"Not lifting bags?" I said in an obvious tone.

"Yeah, I can see that. But it'd be _great_ if got off your sorry butt for once and lended a hand."

"Spencer, he's a little boy," he raised a brow, knowing I would have to draw this explaination out to make it make sense, "who needs love and nurturing and—and someone to take care of him..." I squirmed, my voice sounding unsure.

He crossed his arms over his sleeveless beater with an amused look.

I give up.

"Love and nurturing, huh? That the best you got?" he scoffed.

Huffing, I cross my hands over my chest and pouted, "It's gotten me out of work thus far..."

Putting his arms around my shoulders and a hand on Peter's head, he walked us inside. Up the stairs, to the left, second door on the left. Peter's room.

"Now, I know you must be _so_ exhausted with all the work you've done but you could at least get Pete's room arranged. Better than waiting around..."

Peter immediately ran to his box of toy cars and robots.

"See, he gets the idea."

Glaring at Spencer, I ushered him out of the room. "You wanna put us through brutal, hard manuel labor? Fine. Let us do it in peace..."

Spencer smirked while sulking back downstairs.

Peter and I had work to do.

Fifteen minutes later, Spencer found me sitting at the island in the kitchen. "You guys done?"

"Yeah, the little guys' up there playing his little heart out on his plastic guitar if you haven't heard..."

I was followed by a train of out of tune strumming. Spencer laughed before glancing down at the scrapes I received from our dear neighbor.

"Doesn't that hurt?"

"It tingles..."

In fact, I'd say I didn't feel anything at all.

Spencer lifted me up as if I was a toddler. "All right, let's have a look."

I carefully laid my hand in my lap while he poked it. After a while, he sighed.

"This is nothing. I just need to wrap it, then you'll be good to go."

"So…that's it. No '_wrapping it won't do much for now'_ or '_you're going to die'_?" I asked surprised, he did a lot of that when I was younger.

He chuckled. "Nope. You're going to be OK, Dawn. I'm mature now," _Yeah, right,_ "Stories like that won't pass these lips. Is that such a bad thing?"

"No, it's just that there's always something wrong with me…"

"Stop being a worry-wart, the Great Dawnison shall live!" he joked, trying to cheer me up. I froze.

_He_ _did not just call me what I think he called me._

He noticed my delay in action and spacious disposition and sighed before putting his arm around my shoulders, hugging me against his huggable stature.

"I didn't call you that…I'm so sorry, Dawnie. I didn't realize…I wasn't thinking and—"

"Don't," I shoved his arm away.

He sighed and offered a smile. "You know I love you…?"

For some reason, I started smiling, despite my anger that was still there. Maybe it's 'cause I didn't wanna stay made at my big brother. "…Yeah…"

After applying cortizone on my arm and leg, he wrapped them, placed a kiss on my forehead, then walking away.

I sulked my way upstairs, not wanting to be confronted with the same lame convo my family used whenever that…_name_ would slip up. I was tired of hearing it so many times. If they were going to continue to slip up, then why give me the speech anyway?

Walked up further, down the hall, and stopped. The thing that I was keeping repressed and forgotten pushed its way into my thoughts.

I'm in another house. The house that my family and I were supposed to now call our own. But I won't fall into it. This house has its own memories and sentimental meaning … Someone else's memories and sentimental value. And to think, we sold some stranger our home, the reason behind my slight depression, giving away all of our reminiscences that could easily be found in a story book. Sure, some very bad things happened back there, but I like my home because it gave me something that I could call mine. And now, I'd give anything to have things go back to their terrible selves. But we're here and there's nothing I can do about it.

I stalked down the hallway passing white rooms. Without knowing it, my feet had dragged me to the end of the hall. The plain, unfamiliar closed door now stood in front of me, hiding its wonder…_Okay, that was cheesy…_

I placed my hand on the silver knob before finally pulling the wooden panel.

And the things behind this door, ready to greet me…weren't exactly what I had bargained for. A pretty princess must've been sick of the house, 'cause there's princess barf all over the darn thing. A rosy tone of pink colored the walls accompanied by bright and hopeful unicorns. I thought a high-school, drama student previously owned this room...

_Man, is this world messed up. They could have been more considerate and repainted this mess?_

The blank stare that's been living on my face for the last 15 seconds never disappeared. Someone had just entered the room and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, I came to check up on you." It was Spencer.

"Yeah? I'm fine. Um—just looking around," I said falsely smiling while trying to make my blank expression disappear.

"That's great. Hope you're in the mood to meet some new faces 'cause Jim's downstairs talking to Samuel's family. He wants us to meet them."

I started to back away. "Um—" I didn't like meeting new people like that. Samuel was an exception.

"Oh, no you don't."

And that's when he attacked me.

"Dawnie! Spencer! What's taking you guys so long?" Jim yelled.

Spence and I came tumbling downstairs trying to straighten out our clothes. My hoodie was completely tussled, as was his hair. Coming down was like a race to the death; we must've looked like a couple of starved safari animals who had just smelled the scent of a predator. But the only scent being detected was the scent of fear for our lives if we didn't get down there. Just like Ed, Jim had a temper.

We arrived with a loss a breath and sweat falling from our temples. I looked up to see the smiling faces of some not familiar people. They reminded me of Samuel: dark skin, dark eyes, and athletic builds. The two grown-ups must be his parents, and the little girl, his sister. Jim, and surprisingly Ed, was laughing with the new faces at something I probably wouldn't have thought was funny. As common as it was, I think they were all laughing at us two.

I glance over to my brother to see him still doubled over and trying to regain his breath. I rolled my eyes at his out-of-shape-ness and looked back to the kind people while attempting to fix my hair. I must look like some psychopath the way the girl is staring at me.

Laughing half-heartedly, my uncle began to speak.

"There you kids are…These nice people are the Kennedys, they live in the blue house next to this one. _Say_ _hi_," he expressed timidly, using my Samuel phrase of nervousness.

I smiled, taking the outstretched hand of the mother.

"Hello, Dear. I'm Mrs. Kennedy. You can just call me Jean. This is my husband Raymond and our daughter, Aida. It's so nice to see you, again," she sincerely smiled.

"Again?" I asked as she shook Spencer's hand.

"Oh, I forgot to mention something. These folks are old friends from when you kids were tiny. They used to live back home in Holden before they moved here," Jim explained.

"Yeah, and I can't believe how much you guys have grown," Mr. Kennedy put in with his abnormally profound voice.

"I know what you mean, Ray. And Dawn, look at you!" Jean exaggerated.

Rolling my eyes, I held my breath as she attempted to push it all out herself by squeezing me to death. My eyes were just about ready to pop out of their designated eye sockets.

"Mom, I think she's had enough," Aida said, talking for the first time. Obviously, she knew how much of a nuisance her mother was to all.

She was rather pretty for a girl her age, which I'm guessing was eleven at the most. Aside from the two awkward mounds that were currently growing on her chest, she was very built, much like the rest of her family, and had long, dark hair which complimented her skin tone. It was a bit more firm than her brother's.

Clearly, she had inherited her mother's looks, whom was in the absolute best shape any forty-something mother could be in. Her eyes were Egyptian-like and her mouth in between thin and full, perfect for her face. But her husband was almost the opposite. His mouth was very full and eyes were rounded; his nose was also different. Sort of big, hers wasn't.

Reluctantly, Jean dispatched herself from me. I clung to Spencer in hopes of never getting into another one of Jean's embraces.

"Oops. Sorry about that. When I see something adorable, I can't seem to help not clinging to it…" Jean's apology didn't exactly make me feel any safer. Her smile was too genuine and gleeful to be human; it's these kinds of people I strived to protect myself from.

Jim patted my back and smiled. "That's okay, she's used to it."

_Liar. _I did nothing but smile through my teeth.

"Of course. Anything with a face like that should be." Stupid Jean. _Why couldn't she just shut-up already? Is it an impossible task for her to do?_

"Mom," Aida to the rescue, "I think it's time to start making dinner plans for the Coopers."

By now, my '_Why are you still here?'_ smile, became a _'Yes! You're leaving!' _one. No one but Aida and Spencer saw it. And boy was I grateful for that.

"That's right! The earlier we get started, the better things will be. I bet the Cooper's can't _wait_ to join _us_ for dinner!" Mrs. I'm-A-Freak beamed.

"My thoughts exactly…," Ray quirked with irony. But Jean didn't hear it.

"I am sorry but we must take our leave. I wish we could have gotten to know each other better...," she replied, crestfallen.

"Oh, that's okay…"

I grinned happily at their dismissal. And of course, the control freak didn't see it.

"Oh! But the Coopers are your neighbors too! Maybe we could all get together for dinner tonight, so you can get to know them as well...?"

Jean was beaming at her idea, already excited to have even more guests over.

"What a great idea, honey," Raymond smiled, putting a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"I know!"

"That would be wonderful, Jean—If it wouldn't be too much—"

"Oh no, William!" _William? _"You know how much I love parties!"

"Well, great! It's settled, then."

By now, my insides were slowly breaking down. That was until a certain Kennedy graced us with his presence after making his way back into the house after unloading most of the truck. He acknowledged everyone in the room before the news was delivered.

"Samuel, I'm gonna need your help with the food. The Flecks are joining us for dinner tonight.," her smile never faultering.

"Oh, yeah? Cool. I'll have to run to the store and get some stuff then."

"Excellent! Flecks, let's say...7 o' clock?"

I kinda just checked Samuel out a bit before Will answered, "7 o' clock."

The Kennedys began to make their way out the front door.

"Oh, Jean. Formal?"

Jean stopped in her tracks and flashed us a smile.

"Well, of course!" How would that be obvious.

So, Mrs. I'm-A-Freak was a party freak.

Oh, joy...

Once everyone said their good-byes, I started back upstairs knowing all my bags were there.

Slouching, I willed my feet to drag me up to my room and shut the door behind me. There were already about four cases up here along with my mattress which was lined up against the far end of the pink wall. The large suitcase sat alongside the yellow window seat/sill. I decided to start on that one.

But as I started to pick it up, a flash of red passed through the forest beyond our backyard. A shiver went up my spine and I couldn't understand why. But, whatever the reason is, I'm sure I was okay.

**^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^**

When we arrived next door, the Coopers were already arranged inside. Quickly, I excused myself to the nearest restroom out of insecurity. I was never confident when it came to formal dress. Especially when it involved me wearing a dress.

I examined the usual black underlining my eyes and applied lip gloss over my light pink lip stick to make it stay. When I looked back at my eyes, I resisted just wiping off the light eyeshadow Spencer made me put on. Made me feel like I had to impress someone. I _wish_ I had someone to impress.

My outfit was very classy though my hair was left the same. An ivory ruffle dress, the bottom being black, simple red pumps, African-feathered bangles, a matching necklace, and white and gold owl earrings. The dress came just above my knees and made me feel like a totally different person. Like a wanted person.

_Maybe if I dressed more like this, I could actually get a boyfrined_.

Someone knocked on the door.

"Dawn, honey? You okay?"

It was Jean.

It took me a minute to find my voice.

"Yeah. I'm fine, just freshing up," I responded washing my hands.

"Well, okay. Everyone's in the living room chatting up..."

And she left me alone.

I tugged one last time on the bottom of my dress before exiting the bathroom. As I walked back down the steps, I couldn't help but glance at the window at the end of the hall that overlooked the backyard. I thought I was going crazy, but something was watching. And then I saw it. Red.

"And she's alive..."

I shook away my thoughts of the color and turned to the left to look at everyone.

I tightly smiled.

"Sorry about that. I haven't been feeling my best lately..." Everyone was seated around the fireplace. Peter graced Ned's lap.

A family of three sat across the room near the windows, all beautiful albeit normal.

The man had dirty blonde hair, grey eyes, and the posture of a business man though he wore a simple shirt, nice pants, and dress shoes. On the arm of his chair was a little girl, barely older than Heath, with a kind of baby doll dress the color of light blue with tan and white sandles. Her eyes were like her fathers but her hair was a lot fairer than his, almost platinum. Sitting in between the man and Spencer was what I felt was _a _handsome prince. His hair was also platinum and neatly swept back. His eyes were a misty blue, almost grey, and held a kind air to them. He wore a white Haynes t-shirt under a dark brown vest, nice jeans, and brown dress shoes. What caught my full attention were his kissable lips and his strong chin and cheek bones.

"Oh! Dawn, this is Van, Jesse, and Elizabeth Cooper. They live down the block," Jean introduced. I think that's where the really large houses are located.

"Um, hi," I managed an almost-not-awkward smile. When shaking their hands, my breath got caught in my chest and I could feel their likes and insecurities. It was like their auras or something. Touching them, I got that Mr. Cooper was the gentleman type who liked things to stay in check, Jesse was a social butterfly, but guarded, and Elizabeth was a cute little ray of sunshine, though she tended to be a bit blunt about a lot of things.

I must've stared at their faces in some weird trance-like look on my face for way too long 'cause Jesse just stared at me with a curious look. I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to regulate my breathing. It didn't help that I was nervous around new people.

"Now that we're all here, we can sit down."

The seated stood from their seats and proceeded to what I assumed was the dining room. Spencer dropped behind the mass of people and placed an arm around my shaking shoulders.

"How're you holding up? We can tell you're nervous but don't be. They're just people, just like you and me."

My legs were still shaky and I leaned into Spencer more.

"That doesn't help much…"

"Just pretend they're…"

_They're what? I need help here!_

I turned away from my brother and saw why he had seized talking.

The dining room was _way_ larger than a normal-sized house like this one. The walls were a dark lilac color as were the cushioned chairs pushed under the mahogany table which held thirteen chairs: one side having five chairs, another having four, and the last two sides (which were parallel to each other) had two chair. Placed before every chair was a bamboo placemat, a glass plate (which looked very fancy), a small bowl near it, a fork, a spoon, a knife, and napkins. There were also glasses set aside off the placemat. In the center of the table was a large platter of fruits & veggies, a bowl of roasted potatoes, chicken fried in some kind of sauce, classic macaroni & cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed spinach, and garlic bread. I could feel my mouth watering with excitement.

Jean was in the kitchen grabbing something as Mr. Coooper pulled out his daughter's seat and pushed her in before sitting to the right of her. Robert and an empty seat took a two-sider and then to the left were Will, Spencer, an open seat, and Peter, who was sat on the edge of one of the sides of the table with four chairs. To his left were Ed and Ned who took up a side with only two occupants. Then it was Heath, Elizabeth, her father, Jesse, and Sam.

Jesse went to sit down but came back around the table when I approached my chair with my hands ringed together in front of me. "Let me get that…"

He pulled my chair out for me. With a smile.

I was too stunned to give a coherent respond which Van apparently noticed.

"My son," he began to explain in a usual air. I took the seat and let Jesse push it in for me. "I always taught him to be a competent gentleman. I pride myself in chivalry and believe it to be one of the rare things in our society that proves humans to truly be human beings."

For some reason, this topic served as an easy alleviate to my nerves and I began to speak as Jean came back with a tray of wine and a pitcher juice.

"It's something people view as an upper class or superior concept in which they don't partake in because they don't see themselves as noble blood and it's a dead notion on their part." I sounded a lot more confident in my opinionated response to Mr. Cooper than when I was just given the simple task of saying hello to said stranger.

Jean had just finished pouring wine into Mr. Cooper's glass. He took the drink into his hand.

"Insightful girl, you have there, William," he replied with a calculated smile to my uncle.

"I like to think so. If only that side of her was their all the time. I should hope you never see her when she's screaming at people or intentionally getting on their nerves." Gee, thanks…

Elizabeth butt in. "I scream at people too! We should get together and scream sometime."

A few chuckles went around the table. My hand found its way to my mouth in my attempt to stop my giggling. She was so adorable!

Mr. Cooper patted his daughter's arm. "I don't think Miss Dawn would be too much into that, dear."

With a flushed face, I smiled and shook my head.

"No, actually, I'd love to. Seems like we could do a lot of tormenting together…"

Elizabeth smiled as her brother sighed.

"Good luck with that. Lizzy's a bit of a brat with a mouth on steroids," he spoke with a hand hiding his mouth from his sister, "She _never_ shuts up—" he whispered with a teasing smile.

"Hey! Not true!" the little tot declared. He threw her a lopsided grin which I thought was absolutely adorable. "I just have a lot of things on my mind and I feel like I can talk to you about them," sounding very grown up. Jesse rolled his eyes. "Isn't that right, Sammy?"

Sam's eyes widened as he difficulty swallowed his drink.

"Yes or no, Sammy?" Jesse mocked the name.

"Um…y-yeah. Totally. She's a very intellectual girl who voices her opinions on…stuff…"

Elizabeth smiled as the rest of the table chuckled.

Jean went to pour me the juice that tasted like wine and I stopped her.

"Could I have some water instead? I don't wanna—"

"Of course, Dawn! I'll be right back…"

She came back with water a second later and filled my glass up. "Thank-you," I said feeling guilty about not accepting the drink.

"No, no, dear. It's not problem." And she moved onto to giving Peter regular juice. I took a sip of my drink as people started filling their plates.

"So, Dawn. You know that isn't real wine, right?"

"Oh, yeah," I scooped up a spoonful of the spinach stuff and chicken. "I'm just not comfortable with subjecting myself to anything related to alcohol, including a drink that only tastes like wine."

"Alcohol is bad!" Peter put in. I smiled.

"Yes, it is. Turns your insides to mush," Mr. Cooper replied.

"Gross…"

"Then why do you drink sometimes?" That was Elizabeth.

"Because I have a superior gene in my body that processes alcohol and negates any and all effects of alcohol."

"Doesn't that mean I would have the gene, too, Daddy?"

"No…it's only passed onto the males..."

Jesse rolled his eyes, knowing that false implications like this always occurred around his little sister.

"You know," Ed started, "our mom used to always say that alcohol was a sign of weakness, something people drank when they felt vulnerable."

"Your mother is right is some way, though I don't just drink for the bad times. For the good times too. Loosens your mind, which can sometimes be a good thing."

"But most times, it's a bad thing," Ray countered.

Mr. Cooper timidly swallowed his food. "Yes, most cases."

Ned felt the tension building in the room and asked me to pass him the chicken. I complied as Will began speaking.

"Jesse, aside from being chivalrous, what are your other interests?"

"Well, I play football at the high school."

"What position?"

"Outside linebacker and sometimes guard. Nothing special."

Wish I knew what any of that meant.

"Nothing special?"

"Nedworth, don't start," my uncle scolded.

Ned rolled his eyes and went back to eating.

"Nedworth?" This time it was Elizabeth.

"Yeah, we were having twins and I had already chosen the Edward. My wife, she picked a name that—in nickname terms—would rhyme with Edward. Ed and Ned? All her idea."

"Interesting…Your wife sounds very original, comes up with very unique things…Nedworth."

"My wife isn't my wife anymore…We weren't agreeing on things…"

"How long now?"

"Five years."

A little after my parents died.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You know, my wife left just three years ago…I wish I could say I share your pain, but we surely don't miss her…"

"Van," Jean warned.

_How could someone not miss their wife and mother? _was all I could think as I felt a little mistaken at the comment.

Peter looked at Mr. Cooper with a look of confusion. Before I could stop him, he was firing off.

"How could you not miss your wife? She hugs you and plays with you and tells bedtime stories…" Of course, he meant those things for himself, but I felt a little embarrassed at his outburst.

"Pete, that's stuff mommies do to their _children_, not husbands," I explained.

"Oh."

Silence and the clinging of dishware.

The roasted potatoes were positively delicious, I quickly learned.

"So, Spencer, you're staying with your uncle? Where are you parents?" My chewing slowed a bit at the question. And I hoped my brother felt the same quivering foreboding that I quelled in my insides.

No one ever asked about our parents before.

My eyes lowered to my plate and I chewed lazily. The food felt like cardboard now.

"Not here," Ed stated as if it was the most obvious answer. He shot a look at Mr. Cooper, daring him to question his statement further. It usually worked on outsiders but Mr. Cooper had a backbone.

"Well, then. If not _here_, then _where_?"

Ed glared hard.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as Jesse spoke up.

"Dad—"

"It's a simple question…"

A head-ache started to form.

"You're being rude—" that was Robert.

"Rude? I know you all are as curious as I am. Just too chicken to say anything—"

"Daddy—"

"A graveyard!" I didn't realize what happened until those words left my mouth. My outburst was accompanied by the slamming of my fork on my plate. And I think most everyone was confused at this, so I explained more. "My family was robbed when I was eleven," my voice was shaky and I never looked up from my plate, "and the robber killed my dad without us knowing it until he came back down stairs. And my mom was taken. They pronounced her dead not long after…"

Silence and shallow breathing.

Peter put his hand in mine as I looked at the table. He had a saddened expression. My uncle pretended to feel unaffected. Ned looked at his hands and Ed slumped angrily against his seat and seized touching his food. Spencer had an unreadable look on his face before he coughed at the awkward circling the table.

Jesse bore his eyes into mine, his lips thin.

"I'm sorry for your loss…"

Silence.

And that's how our dinner with the Kennedys and Coopers went.

* * *

**Please review so I know you're reading and stay tuned for the next chapter! ;)**


	4. Chapter 3: Old Habits

**This chapter used to be called "Bed Bugs" but I've changed things up completely. The chapter's a little short, 'cause I think the contents of it should hold you at bay for a while.**

**I also thought I would let you know who I see playing my OCs; I did my best:**

**William Fleck - Wallace Langham  
****Spencer Fleck - James Franco  
****Dawnie Fleck - Sophia Bush  
****Ned & Ed Fleck - Milo Ventimiglia  
****Heath Fleck - Cayden Boyd  
Peter Fleck - Dakota Goyo (when he's older) **

**Jean Kennedy - Kerry Washington  
Robert Kennedy - Paul Winfield (a younger version, obviously)  
Samuel Kennedy - Lee Thompson Young  
Aida Kennedy - Rachel Dupard**

**Van Cooper - Viggo Mortenson  
Jesse Cooper - Lucas Hill  
Elizabeth Cooper - Peyton R. List**

**ALL characters in this chapter belong to Arinlianette...Me.**

* * *

**_3_**

**_old habits_**

I had another nightmare. I tried going back to sleep, hoping that the fatigue I was feeling from last night's catostrophe of a dinner would lull me to a peaceful slumber. It only resorted to the same nightmare that always started out as a calming dream coming back. But stronger. And mockier.

Everyone looked as old as they were in reality except my mother and father. They looked barely thirty. My uncle's family had just shown up with three liters of soda, a pan of macoroni, and smiles. Ed silently stalked to the kitchen to help put everything away after nodding to Spencer and I, whom were playing a game of chinese checkers on the dining room table. Ned smiled before approaching us, taking a seat between my brother and I, pulling us into steady conversation about spring break. I asked my cousin where his annoying little brother was. I regreted ever asking.

Heath ran into the house, ridiculously excited to be there, even though he always disregarded anything my brother or I said to him.

The only thing that told me this was a dream was the fact that I couldn't smell anything. Not the delicious food my mother was making for the family brunch, not the fabric freshner coating the living room, nor the burning gases of the fireplace burning in the corner of the room.

Our house wasn't terribly big. Just large enough for my parents, brother, and I to comfortably dwell in. It was pasty white on the outside, beige on the inside. A miniature hall was the first thing that greeting guests when first entering through the oak front door. The flooring was rich wood, just like the living room, while the rest of the house was simple, white carpet—aside from the bathroooms. To the left of the hall was a staircase ascending to all of our rooms. Behind the staircase was the dining room where I was sitting.

There hung a small, silver chandelier above the wooden table. The walls were covered in school projects and pictured created by Spencer and I from grade school. In the corner of the room was a mason fireplace. It's what usually lit up the room at night when I would creep downstairs to have a glass of milk and cookies or ice cream. There were four chairs set around the table but we always kept an extra set of five in the garage for days like this one.

Just outside of the dining room was the green living room. A green couch, five-seated sectional Riviera sofa, rested leisuraly three feet from the near corner, and faced the old, brown TV stand holding up our large television set in the center of the room. A plain green carpet spread across the wooden floor, only completing the obsession of green. Facing the sofa was a large window, accompanied by a light teal window seat cushion that overlooked the average, 24' by 16' yard and its small, but old green ash tree.

My mother was humming some 80s rock tune to the beat in her head while trying to make sure the eggs didn't stick to much to the pan too much, her beautiful blonde locks wooshing around her shoulders. Peter, then one, was on the living room floor with my Aunt Lucy, who was entertaining him with a game of peek-a-boo.

Lucy was a plainly woman, only seeming really pretty when she smiled and was in a great mood. She was a preacher's daughter studying at Boston University for Business and Marketing when she met my Uncle Will. He was twenty-four at the time working trying to get his Bachelor's in Business while she was just getting her general studies out of the way. Being a twenty-year-old was hard for her since she had always believed guys older than her was simply _not_ gonna work. But my uncle proved her wrong and married the independent woman a year and half later. The two had been working in some corporal building as of late.

Lucy complained that Peter smelled like something I didn't hear, then ran to the store when my mother told her that she forgotten to restock on diapers.

And that's when the nightmare began.

I heard a noise from upstairs as something thumped to the ground. Thinking my father had simply just tripped, I, along with everyone else, ignored the sound and finished my game with Spencer. Ned declared that he wanted to play, so I went to the bathroom upstairs hoping to releave myself but found something else as I passed my parents bedroom.

A quick splatter of blood shot out of the door as my father stood in front of it without an expression. His eyes were lost and claw marks met at the base of his throat and chest. I stared at his face, confused and scared beyond my imagination. A sickening sound later, my father was brought spurtling down to the floor with blood falling from his mouth.

I gasped and backed away a few inches in shock. Without another moment to think about it, I ran back downtairs, screaming of my father's death. Time had slowed down and I saw Spencer and Ned standing still in their spot in the dining room.

In slow motion, I approached them, my breathing growing timid, and tried to tell them what happened. But they didn't move. They just kept playing their game. And when I placed a hand on Spencer's shoulder, he fainted at the touch and came crashing down, out of his chair. My scream peirced the air as I reached out to Ned. The same thing happened, and it was like he was a doll. Like he never existed.

Panicing, I raced to the kitchen to find my mother cuddled in the corner with my one-year-old brother in her arms. She was shaking and muttering things about debts and payments. I went to crawl next to her, to cower with her, but I noticed the dark figure standing just a foot away from my mother. Fear grasped my bones and shook me with such force, that I almost threw up.

The man had red hair from what I could see. His skin sparkled intensely in the morning light as he held a brightly lit hand out to my mother. She wasn't giving in, that was until he tilted his head to peer down at Peter.

'No!' I screeched. I was ignored as if I wasn't even in this scene anymore.

My mother took the man's hand, after setting down the baby, as he lifted her up into his arms and moved her blonde hair to the side to smell her neck. Never once did the stranger turn around.

As tears weld up in my eyes, my mother slowly turned her gaze behind him, to me. The look in her eyes told me to be calm. But that was stupid. Everything in this world was stupid.

My vision started to blur as the kitchen started to melt to mush. I tried to focus my attention on them and not the background but it was too hard. Just before everything was black, the stranger turned around in his demonized glory, his eyes bloody with hunger and mouth smuggly cracked.

I shot up from my bed with my breath caught in my throat. My pillow was soaked wet with tears and sweat.

Never had the stranger looked me in the eyes before.

The color red.

It rested safe inside my brain and paralyzed me with suspicion. Never again would I see things the same. Especially since that nightmare had been occuring for months now.

I quietly crept into the hallway before realizing how cold it was in my pink tank-top and Snoopy pajama shorts. After grabbing a pair of socks and a robe, I stalked down the stairs with shaky legs and made to turn on the lights. I heard a something drop to the ground in the kitchen and halted my actions. My eyes searched the dark room for some kind of intruder and found nothing.

Slowly flicking on the light, the carton of milk came crashing down from an invisible force, and milk splattered all over the floor. The liquid had soaked something near its landing, and I knew immediately who was standing four feet away from me.

"Spencer!" I scolded with a hand on my hip.

His body was enveloped in a shadow and his face revealed itself to me.

"Sh—Dawn! What are you doing down here?" he asked, bending down to clean up the mess.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"What am _I_ doing down here? Spencer, I think the same question could be directed back at you..."

He was silently cursing under breath as I crossed over to the kitchen and grabbed a rag from a nearby drawer. I wet it.

"Hey, you don't have to—" I crouched to the ground to begin soaking up the milk from the tile floor. Feeling helpless, he took hold of the hair falling into my face and held it back for me as I worked.

"So what'd you come down here for?"

I asked for him to hand me a towel. He threw it to the ground over the wet floor. "Old habits." He gripped my shoulders and made me stand up as he moved his bare foot over the towel and proceeded to dry up spilt liquid. "You?"

He wore a solumn look.

"New habits."

I gave him a look but he didn't shy away from my look and spill his guts. No, he kept his gaze on his work and I moved to the counter.

"What was it this time?" he asked, picking up the towel.

I looked at Spencer, comparing him to the smaller boy from my dream. Spencer had grown a great deal since then. He stood a tall six feet and his curly hair was longer on the top. The hair on the back of his head had been shaved to a light fade and showed the small letters, JESUS, tattooed across his head. Even his physique was a lot different. He was lean, but his adult muscles had broken in and bulked from under his shirt.

When did all of this happen? Perhaps during the time her brother spent living on his own in that apartment in Massachusetts Aunt Lucy had offered him after graduating high school. But one thing was for sure. I was no longer standing in the presence of a premmature teenager, but a grown man.

"What are you looking at?"

I softly smiled and answered, "My big brother...You're all grown up now, huh?"

Spencer chuckled then reached into the boxes next to the fridge to grab two plastic cups. "Yep. Trying to find a job, worrying about life, looking for a girlfriend," he sighed, "the life." He grabbed a carton of orange jucie and half-way filled the cups up before handing me one. "Now when are you gonna decide to intergrate into the Forks community and find a boyfriend?"

I choked on my OJ and, with difficulty, swallowed it down in a burning gulp and coughed.

"Excuse me?"

"You know what I'm talking about. You come to a new place, hide in your room, go to school, go visit a bookstore, hide in your room again, school, bump into a nice girl, make a friend, hide in your room—for the third time—then accidentally use your powers—"

"Spencer, I do not do that," I replied, looking into my cup of fruity goodness.

"You know I don't lie about stuff like this. You might as well declare yourself anti-social. You're like a cute, unsure version of Ed."

My jaw droppped. I wasn't _that_ anti-social! I voiced my opinion.

"I just don't like it when people pry into my personal life, which is what everyone always does!" I angrily drank my juice and glared at the counter.

"That's just it, Dawnie. They ask because they want to get to know you better. You're an awesome person. When are you gonna let anyone in?"

The question played over again in my head and I stumbled to find that Spencer was right.

_When will I let anyone in?_

Spencer and I's conversation from last night was still playing over in my mind and I couldn't help but feel a little coil of unhappiness at his logic. I was alone and aching for company beyond my comprehension. I usually survived a great deal of pain when I _wasn't_ involved with people. Then there was a flaw in my reasoning. I was put through a lot of pain _without_ people being around.

As I pondered this, someone knocked on my door.

"Yes?"

"Someone's at the door..."

"Okay...?" Not like there was anyone in this part of the country who would visit me.

"It's Mr. Chivalrous," Ned poked his head in from the door with a teasing smile.

My eyes bulged with surprise at the answer.

"Um—"

"He asked for you."

My voice was caught in my throat and I glanced at my attire of choice. I hadn't even thought to take a shower yet and I was still in my pajamas from last night.

"I'll let him in—"

"_No!_ I mean, no. H-he can't come back another time?"

"I don't know, but he's patiently waiting at the door for a certain red-haired girl." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down in a suggestive manner and I scolded him. "What? I'm not the one who's hungry for some Dawnie muffins—"

"God—Ned! Stop! Eww...Just go, I'll be down there..."

As much as that thought was actually pleasing, Ned's often played role as annoying little brother was unnerving.

Laughing his head off, he retreated back into the hallway then downstairs, since I assume he was eating when a certain neighbor came knocking.

Growling at his foolishness, I ran to the bathroom down the hall and did my best to quickly and effectively brush my teeth and wash my face, then ran back to my room to slip my robe back on before calmly proceeding to the front door downstairs. For some reason, I was extremely nervous and twiddled my fingers at my side while slightly pulling the door open, trying to conceal my slightly disheveled figure. Jesse turned back to the door to smile at me, wearing a dark white-beater under a cream button-up, sleaves rolled up to his elbows.

"Hey."

"Hi..." I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to look less nervous. "Ned said you wanted to see me?"

"Uh—yeah! I just wanted to apologize for last night. My dad's a dick—" I choked on a giggle with amusement, "and it's no one's business but yours when your parents..."

He left the statement open with hesitant eyes.

"Are dead. Yeah, thanks. No one really seems to care about that part." I braved opening the door a bit more and crossed my arms in front of my chest while leaning against the arch of the door.

"Yeah, well I do and...I'm sorry," he said with a sincere look in his eye.

"Well, you didn't do anything wrong—"

"Yes, but there's no way my father was gonna be apologizing about anything; so long as he owns the butt-load of corporations he does..."

I was silent for a moment before looking anywhere but his face.

"Thanks for apologizing...that's really," I calmed my nerves and looked him in the eye, "sweet. Of you."

He genuily smiled. "Just being a neighbor."

As he left, all I could think about was why Forks, Washington, of all places, had such hotties like Samuel Kennedy and Jesse Cooper.

Darn, I think Jesse caught me staring at his butt as he walked away. Stupid old habits...

* * *

**Any ideas on Dawn's parents? Message me, please.**

**Also, I've decided that I'm know what I want and have the whole story set so I should be updated a bit sooner than usual.**

**Please let me know what you think about Jesse and Dawn's relationship and what happened to her family! **

**BTW: Edward Cullen will be in the next chapter! ****;P**


	5. Chapter 4: The Usual and Unusual

**This chapter is called, "The Usual and Unusual". Very vague, I know. So sorry for the lack of updates. I'm swamped with having a new baby sister, AP classes, recitals, and a social life. So yeah. Anyway...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga nor Edward Cullen. :(**

**But EVERYONE ELSE belongs to Arinlianette...Me. Yay :D**

* * *

**_4_**

**_the usual and the unusual_**

The nightmare came back last night. After reliving it a good three times, I remained dreamless for the remainder of my sleep cycle.

Later, I looked to my side at the clock sitting beside my diary.

6:15.

Groaning, I went to get out of bed, only to realize what was in my arms. My plushy wolf named Edward that I used to cradle against when I was having a hard time sleeping. Not sure what possessed me to seek his comfort in my half-slept state, but maybe he was going to be some kind of cure for me. After all, my nightmare eventually went away last night.

Leaving Edward on my pillow, I paced down the hallway in search of the bathroom. Ten minutes later, the sound of a faucet tweaking filled my ears as the water seized. I grabbed the black towel from the shower-wall and wrapped it around myself. As soon as the glass door slid open a cool breeze hit my wet face. I stepped out from behind it and was greeted by a fuzzy, green mat soaking up the moisture from my feet. I tied the towel securely around before walking up to the sink, glancing in the fogged mirror. My hands wiped across the glass making my image clearer.

I leaned over the counter and examined my green eyes. They've seemed to be floating over dark circles and have dulled into a plain green, dark specks dissipating. I looked at my eyes in disbelief. I was looking into the eyes of a half-dead person. And now, they look like _hers_.

And for a moment, I thought I saw my mother. But there she was, standing right behind me with her hands resting on my shoulders.

"Dawnison,_" _she whispered in my ear. Fear crept up my spine and I reverted my eyes. _"_Look at me, baby._" _Her voice wouldn't go away.

_The images…_

Her hand cupped my chin and forced my face to stare back at her in the mirror.

…_never stopped._

I grunted in frustration and pushed the hallucination from my mind before walking out of the bathroom. Ed came to the bathroom and pulled out his pills. He took them to help his psychological problem. "Morning, Dawnie," he moaned sleepily.

"Morning, Ed." I saw Ed take his medicine and set the bottle down on the counter. He walked passed me and ruffled my hair, then retreated to his room.

Walking back to my own, I closed the curtains of my windows and tied the towel more securely around me. After underwear, I threw on a beige tiger tank-top, a multicolor Hawaiian print hoodie, blue skinny jeans, a pair of socks, and my loyal black chucks. Against the wall laid the full-body mirror. I examined myself. Once done, I went back to the bathroom, wondering when Ed had picked up his pills, and did the daily routine: wash my face, brush my teeth, straightening my hair before putting it in a ponytail ('cause I actually feel like it this morning), snapped on small, gold earrings, my three-layered cross necklace, and gold and white bangles. I checked myself over one more time before walked down stairs.

I turned the corner to smell something appetizing coming from the next room; I breathed it in before entering the kitchen. Ned was standing over the stove, flipping buttermilk pancakes and links of sausage; Spencer was sitting at the square-table, next to Will, studying for a test he had for one of his general studies' class; and Ed obviously hadn't come downstairs. He was probably messing with his keyboard. But I didn't see Peter anywhere.

"Morning, Dawnie," Ned called over his shoulder evidently in a better mood.

At the sound of my name, the other changed their attention to me.

Will smiled. "Glad you're feeling better. He really is a nice boy after all," he explained

"Did you, now?" I bent by head in embarrassment, a blush forming.

"Dawnie, it's nothing to embarrassed about. I, for one, am very pleased to know the boy isn't as rude as that father of his…," Will sipped his black coffee.

Heath came strolling through the kitchen, grabbing a plate full of pancakes and settled next to his father.

"I must say, Dawnie, you're more of a baby than I thought…_Eddie,_" he taunted my stuffed animal. He must've walked by my bedroom this morning. "You should seriously throw that thing away."

"Why you little—"

"Heath, stop pestering your cousin," Will scolded.

"Whatever…"

"Where's Peter?"

Ned joined the conversation. "He was running a little fever this morning, so I'm put him back to bed…"

This surprised me a bit, considering Peter's only been sick one other time in his life. A sound escaped my throat at the oddity and went to grab a plate of eggs when Spencer grabbed it from my hands and put the clean plate back in the cabinet. I began to protest but he grabbed my purse, which was sitting on the counter, then guided us to the front door.

"What are you doing?"

"We're going shopping for school supplies, remember?"

"Well…obviously _not_ since I'm asking…" He let me go once we got to his grey 2007 Dodge Journey and opened the passenger door. "Spencer, I didn't even eat breakfast—"

"Hey, stop whining. I have something I have to do later, so it's now or never…"

"Okay, okay! Sheesh."

* * *

The ride to Wal-Mart, which we quickly figured out was right around the corner, was as peaceful as it was comfortable. And let me just say, it wasn't very comfortable. Spencer was going through this weird moody thing where I would ask him a question pertaining to his life, and he would either: a) ignore me, b) mutter something incomprehensible, or c) give me a hard stare while countering with a question of his own. It was very disorienting. The time Spencer acted like this was when he had a lot of stress or he was thinking a lot about the night our parents were killed. I'm quite sure it's the latter.

Upon pulling up to the lot, Spencer let out a long sigh before parking the car semi-close to the store. We both exited the car and made our trek to the sliding doors. As soon we were inside, I turned to my brother.

"Look, Spencer. I know that the other night was—"

"Get all the crap you need. I gotta make a call…"

I looked at him and he looked at me. I searched his mature, sob-like face before nodding. He didn't wanna talk about it.

Pulling my tote bag further up my shoulder, I grabbed a basket and stalked my way over to the office section. But not before giving him another glance. He was staring intently at the tiled floor.

My attention was diverted when I collided with a soft body. A soft cry left my lips as I hurdled over a bag and onto the floor, my foot getting caught between a rope of some kind. I could hear pants equivalent to mine trying to lower in volume and gain control. When I turned my head, I saw a tanned, pretty dark-haired girl blushing in embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry, I—"

"No, I'm the one who wasn't looking. Are you okay?" I untangled my foot and cautiously stood up, wiping my hands on my jeans out of habit.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You?" she asked, trying to right her hair while standing up also.

"Well, I'm not the one with stuff all over the floor…" I drawled out, indicating to the now empty basket, laying on the its side, on the floor.

"Oh, yeah. My stuff…"

"Here, let me give you a hand…"

After dumping all of the items back into her basket, I picked my bag up off the floor and checked to make sure my phone and camera were in good status. I looked back up at the girl and apologized again.

"Again, I'm so sorry. I didn't break anything, did I?"

"No, no. It's cool…Hey, are you new here?" smiling her perfect rows of teeth.

"Yeah, I'm Dawnie Fleck. My family and I just moved here from Illinois."

"Olivia Larter. Illinois, huh?" She held her hand out and I hesitantly took it. "That's not too down south, but I bet it's a _lot_ warmer than here. Am I right?" Man, she sure was good at making nice talk.

"Eh, a bit, yeah. Not much of a difference seeing as it's the summer. It rains a bit there too."

We started walking down the aisle as I picked up a couple of writing utensils and paper. Our conversation somehow drifted to music and Olivia wasn't too much of a friendly person that generally spat out anything that would make me falsely believe she was a nice person. She really was. And the more we talked, the more we found that we had a lot in common.

_Jesus Take the Wheel _by Carrie Underwood interrupted our conversation as Olivia shot me an apologetic look. When she answered the phone, she sounded aggravated to no end, like it happened all the time.

"David, where am I always," she sighed with her hand on her hip before slamming her phone shut. "So sorry, that was my—"

"Liv! I was worried about you. When you said you were on your way to the music section, I assumed that was where you would be…"

A slightly older male, maybe twenty-two, now stood next to Olivia with his cellphone still in his hand. He was bronze-skinned with short wisps of dark hair curling around his head. He wore a plain, button-up shirt, jeans, and black converse. And his eyes—

I froze.

His eyes, they were…

"Liv, this a friend of yours?" he asked, throwing me a sparkling smile.

"Uh, yeah. Newbie. Her name's…"

Her voice faded into the background as I openly stared at his face. And there was no way my assumption were correct. 'Cause if they were—

"Dawn?"

I jumped a little tried to act like I was listening. "Huh?" I'm sure I was failing terribly.

"We asked if you wanted to hang out later."

"Apparently—my brother's words—I'm anti-social and need to come out of my shell. So…sure."

"Great! Well, we're grabbing lunch with some friends at this coffee shop a few minutes from here…If you're up for that…"

Lunch and coffee. With new people. And more new people. Hm.

"Sounds like fun!" I think I just spat out a lie.

"Awesome. We could pick you up if you want. Where do you live?"

"1207 NE Diamond Lane? It's in Oak Towers…?"

"Yeah! We know that place. Actually, one of our friends lives right around the corner from you, I think…Maybe he could take you?"

Let a stranger drive me? I think not.

"What's his name?"

"He's a Cooper; I doubt you know him since school hasn't even started yet."

Kissy Lips? I don't know if I'm comfortable with that but the want I felt to talk to him again overpowered by judgment.

"A Cooper? You mean—yeah I know who you're talking about! Our neighbors invited us and them over for dinner two nights ago. Jesse, right? He's was really sweet."

"Yeah, he is sweet," she sighed blissfully. "Um, do you still want us to come pick you up or would you mind riding with him…?"

"Whichever one's better."

"Hey, we could actually take you over there now if you want. David and I have to go and," she shared a look with him, "take care of some stuff. Jesse wouldn't mind. He's usually up cooking right about now." Cooking? "It's something he does for his dad and sister on Saturdays."

"Oh, I couldn't impose—"

"It's fine. It's not like they actually eat the breakfast _together_. Come on, it'll be fun."

I knew I was treading on independence ice with this, but this could be my chance to let people in. And Jesse would be there.

"Alright. Let me just tell my brother."

"Great! Meet us up at the front counter. You'll see us." And with that, the two began walking away. David had his arm wrapped securely around Olivia's shoulders as he glanced back at me. And for a second, just a tiny, miniscule second, I thought I saw him scowl. And I scowled back 'cause if anyone had a reason to scowl at someone, it was definitely me, the mortal, and not him, the immortal.

* * *

The ride to Jesse's was kind of silent, but defined by one word.

Awkward.

And let me just say, it was totally _not_ my fault.

As soon as we got in the car, David started bombarding me with question after question like my life was an interesting topic. It's not really. So far, the two had learned that I liked to write, keep to myself, cook, read, and have chocolate pastries; Disliked almonds, meeting new people, grapefruit, and any word associated with the word _panties_; Loved comedic romance movies, a good science-fiction story, music, and coffee; and absolutely hated the notion of vampire existence. At this, David's eyes narrowed and Olivia went a spiel on how vampire romance books are the best thing that happened since the discovery of bread.

I beg to differ.

Approaching the neighborhood, comfortable conversation flew away from David's peripheral vision and characteristically-aggressive conversation replaced it.

"What do you hate about vampires? I mean, you're a _girl, _that's one of the many rules to being a girl. Fawn over fictional Dmetris and Victors."

I rolled my eyes where only David would see. "Vampires are just exciting parallels of every girl's dream. A tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious dream boat lusting for the essence of everything woman plus blood. It's sick, if you ask me."

"Is it so bad that a woman wants to feel _wanted_ by something so impossible and delicious, Dawn?" Olivia asked, fighting to change my mind.

"Yes, because what vampire books don't teach insecure women is that every single of one of them is beautiful, and that they don't have to have a bizarre, freaky relationship in order to be with someone. _That's _the true essence of everything woman."

We took a short cut and rolled past a few large houses.

"Wow. That actually sounds insightful," the girl replied with a thoughtful expression dawning her face.

David pulled into a light-beige manor-like driveway and parked the car to only stare at my face. I could tell he was angry about something. Or someone. Olivia stepped out of the car and walked me up to the front door. As Olivia rang the doorbell, I nervously rocked my chucks back and forth atop the pavement. David had refused to stop staring at me, and, by some other worldly magic, I did it back. When I heard the door click open behind me, I saw David's expression change immensely. It went from predator-on-the-prowl to innocent-boyfriend-patiently-waiting-on-his-girlfriend. My glare only deepened.

"Olivia, Dear. To what do I owe the pleasure?" came that calculated voice.

"Hi, Mr. Cooper. Um, I was just dropping off a friend, actually."

With David looking away, I turned back to the front door and blinked up at Van.

"Miss Dawn...heh-heh. Didn't quite see you there."

I tightly just smiled and tied my hands together behind my back. Olivia began talking again.

"We actually wanted to talk to—"

Fleshy lips appeared behind his father.

"Dawn? Olivia? What are you guys doing here?" His shirt was slightly stained.

"Oh, Jesse. I just met Dawn, here, and invited her to our weekly lunch," Jesse had shooed his father away by now, "but we don't wanna drag her into all our other plans, so..."

"She can hang with me, if that's what you're asking. 'Sides, she lives right around the corner. "

"Great! Well, Dawn, I guess that's settled. Sure you'll be okay here?" she asked, concerned.

What did she think Jesse would do? Murder me?

"Yeah, it's cool. I'll be fine. I don't think Jesse, here, bites," I let out a nervous laugh before directing my attention on Jesse. "Do you?"

He cracked a smile, "Only if I have to. Hey, come on in, it's a little chilly out there." He moved aside, ushering me into his large house.

"Can I take your jacket?"

I unzipped my hoodie and took a chance to examine the large room and its posh manner. And I was immensely impressed. The walls were covered in peach wallpaper. They were decorated by silver lamps and tasteful paintings of people and things that I did not know. The floor was covered in (fancy tan) tiles and expensive, blue rugs that were like lifeboats drifting across the room. A dark wood and glass coffee table sat in front of a blue suede couch and next to a matching loveseat. Magazines and a lily sat in the center of the small table. Above hung a large, silver chandelier that held white candles and tiny crystal statuettes.

A pair of hands gripped my shoulders and my hoodie came down.

"You have a really nice place..."

"Thanks," he answered, hanging my hoodie up in a coat closet nearby. "Most of it was my mother's idea, despite what my old man might say."

I smiled. "It's lovely."

"Yeah, it is." He had a far off look on his face and I knew it had to do with his mom. Before I could call out his name, he blinked and smiled, turning to me. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Can you cook?"

I furrowed my brows at the random question. "Uh...yeah. Why?"

He started walking into another room while answering. I just followed. "I'm making brunch and I started kind of late. I would just multitask and make more at once..." We stopped at the marble counter-top, me sitting and him leaning over it. "But I can't 'multitask'," he smiled, sheepishly.

I deeply blushed and pretended to be analyze his kitchen. In all honesty, I would look at his face over that any day but...I feel so vulnerable. I glanced up and had to act more casual. Man, why was he so cute?

"Well, that _definitely_ sounds like a problem..."

"I just need help with scrambled eggs and pancakes. It's impossible for me concentrate on that and fried chicken at the same time. Think you could manage that?"

I spotted the small pan burning on the corner of the stove and made my way over to it. "The eggs are burning!" I turned off the back-left stove and took the pan off of the burner. I dumped the whole thing into the sink and ran the cold water. Smoke filled the room and my nostrils. "I guess I _have _to manage it—don't want you burning the house down..."

Jesse and I managed to finish his family brunch within ten minutes and we had thrown the pans into the kitchen sink. Everything smelled delicious and the table adorned the tasty food. As Jesse called the household to the kitchen, I took delight in grabbing a glass plate and helped myself to a bit of everything. Just a bit.

"Outstanding," Van expressed with a sigh of content. "My favorite kind of food at a plausible time of day. Mm."

Despite his lengthening little monologue, he grabbed his food and bolted from the room. Hm.

"Finally, I thought you'd never finish—Oh, hey, Dawn. How are you? Hope my brother didn't make you uncomfortable asking so many questions..."

"Elizabeth!"

"What?" The younger blond scooped up her samples and got into a cabinet to grab a cup. "You like to know people...And ask a lot of questions."

I swallowed down my piece of chicken at the information. Good, Lord. I didn't like questions.

"Lizzy, go back upstairs."

"Fine," she filled her cup with orange juice and held it away from Jesse before it was snatched by the very same person. Jesse filled two cups with it. "Just trying to help you not scare away a nice person. Again—"

"Liz!"

Elizabeth smiled sweetly and addressed me.

"Bye, Dawn."

Then she was gone.

"So sorry about that, she's..."

"I get it," I intervened, trying my best not to laugh in his face. "Heath's a lot like that. It's called having a...what's that word? Oh, little _sibling._" Iteased, hoping that by opening up a bit, someone can get to know the real me—Spencer's words.

Jesse cracked a smile and bit into his food. "Yeah, yeah. She's just so annoying sometimes."

"So...questions?"

"Later."

I sighed in relief, practically jumping into my food, happily munching away.

About an hour later, we decided to leave and jumped into his white 2007 Dodge Avenger and were on our way. The ride was silent but comfortable as _Not the Sun _by Brand New resonated in the car.

I looked in the side window and a certain color assaulted my eyes. I jolted in my seat, turning away from the window, hoping that by ignoring the signs, I would be okay.

"Dawn! Are you okay?" He glanced at me before turning back to the front of the back road. "You look like you saw a ghost."

"...Right. Um, no. I just...I don't know." Maybe lying, at this point, was the best thing to do. "I thought I saw a wolf. A big one. I just didn't expect to see something like that in Forks." The lie actually made me feel better about the insanity I had been going through the past few days, the color was probably a reflection of something. Not that I would be ignoring the fact that vampires are real. Of course, not. I just wanted to feel better about it.

But it all went to a bad place. Not five minutes after leaving, someone ahead of us is apparently hit by something. A car accident at a time like this. Was this God's way of scaring me into turning me into a local Catholic church so they could exorcise me for me powers? Okay, that was a bit far-fetched.

Jess and I, along with five other cars around us, jumped out f their cars to see why there was a road block stopping a lot of us from getting to our destination. I saw an ambulance door open as a man covered in blood was thrown unto a gurney and ushered into the back of the truck. Fear gripped me as I got flashes of what happened.

Pale. Red. Chase. Street. Deer. Headlights. Fast Car. Iron Grip. Attempted Murder. Blood. Run.

I blinked my eyes rapidly to get it out of my head. When I glanced over to the forest beside us, I saw a hazel-eyed teen stare at me, probably wondering who I was. I looked back at Jesse to see him looking right back at Edward, as well. So they knew each other? Okay.

As usual, I felt something tug at the back of my mind and I squinted my eyes around while trying to keep it back. It felt like a train was trying to jam itself into my head when there was no possible way it could fit. My eyes fell on the teen and my brain stopped hurting. There was something about his eyes that made me question their validity. And his skin...I must be exaggerating. He didn't have red eyes! So why was I even considering him as a candidate for a monster, the predator behind this road destruction? That's unusual.

"Dawn."

I jolted away from my thoughts and glanced back at Jesse. Beautiful Jesse.

"Let's get out of here."

We got in the car, backed up, and started driving down the road opposite of Vampire Boulevard.

* * *

**Thanks so much to those of you that put this on story alert and favorites. I apologize, once again, for the lack of updates. I can't say when I'll update next, 'cause I honestly don't know, but thank you all and please review! Critique me! I need it, thanks :D**


	6. Chapter 5: Mistaken

**I'm back!**

**...I think.**

**Here's another chapter! :D**

**Disclaimer: ALL characters in this chapter belong to Arinlianette...Me.**

* * *

**_5_**

**_mistaken_**

Jesse and I showed up to the coffee place early. On my way here, I noticed that the sun had come out.

My kind of weather.

As I went to step out of the vehicle, I caught a flash of red through the window of the front of the store. Sure enough, David and Olivia were seated at a large table, accompanied by foreign company. There was a boy with dark and tousled hair swept into his face. He had prominent bags under his eyes and dressed in a casual suit jacket. To his left sat a slightly thicker female with wavy, brown hair and a short, leather vest. Her combat boots were very cute. Next to her was a front-cover-of-a-teen-pop-magazine couple laughing.

The blonde's hair was straightened to perfection and her skin tanned enough for her to be from California. Her style of dress consisted of a very short skirt, knee-high socks, red Chuck Taylors, a tank-top with a red and black checkered button-up, and hipster glasses—you know, the kind that don't require a prescription.

Oh my God, she's beautiful.

I tried my best to not look at her boyfriend, but I betrayed myself and did so anyway. I was so blind-sighted I blinked.

Oh my God, he's beautiful.

Soon, my feet were dragging me toward the glass door, following after Jesse. Anxiety gripped my chest and I had to take a large breath. These people were _really_ beautiful. As if sensing my fear, Jesse turned around before he could step into the store. His eyes settled on my unsure expression.

"You okay?"

He probably remembers my reaction to meeting him and his family before we sat down for dinner.

"Um, yeah. I—I have to be honest right now. I hate people. I absolutely hate associating with people I don't know," not a total lie, "_Especially _when there's more than one of them," I rushed out with an exaggerated lack of breath. By now, I'm kind of pleading with him to have mercy on my soul and give me a proficient excuse to not go in there.

"Okay, well…let's go in here."

He pointed out the diner across the street from the coffee place. Without giving me any kind of warning, he took my hand and swiftly led me across the road and inside of the other place to sit us down at an empty table near the back. Still shocked and emotionally unsettled, I sat in the seat provided for me.

From there I just closed my eyes, afraid to see the look of worry and derangement in Jesse's eyes. He probably thought I had a psychological disease that led to an endless amount of unwarranted panic attacks.

Great.

"Dawn?"

I ignored his voice in the hope that he would just ignore me in return.

"Dawn, you okay now?"

I bit my lip and dared to open my eyes, looking at Kissy Lips. He'd placed my forgotten purse across the table in front of me and was looking at me with kindness in his eyes.

Now breathing softly, I answered, "I guess."

As our silence was accompanied by the chatter of the other customers, I glanced around. There wasn't much to look at. The green diner was just a nice, humble establishment made up of kind, well-mannered people.

"You don't have to tell me anything, but I wanna make sure you're alright."

Something about Jesse made me want to tell him many things. Not _everything_, but a lot of things.

"I think I'm alright now. Thanks for bringing me here."

And I _was_ grateful. I'm not sure I could handle another inconspicuous bashing from David about vampires while battling my shyness.

"But we were supposed to meet your friends there. Won't they wonder where we are? Or see us?"

Jesse was already taking his phone out.

"Got it covered. I'll just text them and say that we're on a date."

"Oh, okay…"

_Date?_

"Wait a minute! We're not on a date…"

"Yeah, but they don't know that. I know this isn't a date. We need an excuse. I'll just say I asked you out, and you said 'yes'. It's not that difficult. They'll think nothing of it."

Silence danced around us as we lost the conversation. I kind of awkwardly looked at either my hands or the table. I could still feel Jesse's eyes on me, searching for an answer to a lot of problems.

"Jesse? Imagine seeing you here," said the shocked waitress that just walked up to the table.

Great, so everybody in this town knows everyone.

"Mandy Wilson, sophomore English," he smiled, "How are you?"

"I'm good. Working at a diner, but it pays the bills." Gee, how personal is their relationship? "And you?"

"I'm great, actually. Hey, if you need anything—"

"I think that's _my_ line, Jesse. Besides, I don't need any help, but thank you." What are they talking about? "Can I set you guys up for something to drink?"

My eyes darted to my left to peer at the waitress. "Just water, please…"

"And a coke for me," Jesse expressed.

She didn't even write it down. "Coming right up."

After she left, I started to feel the awkwardness of our two-person table and decided to try that whole let-people-get-to-know-me thing. After all, it's just Jesse Cooper.

"So, Mandy?"

"Mandy," he licked his lips. "Yeah, Mandy Wilson went to Forks High. She helped me with my English comprehension and homework."

"She doesn't go to Forks High anymore?"

"No, she…uh. She got pregnant." I bit my lip. This is kind of an off-limits topic, I'm feeling. "Her mom kicked her out when she found out. Her ex-boyfriend, Benjamin Wright, acted like she was the Black Plague. She was homeless for a while and struggling to keep her grades up. She already had a hard time managing her advanced classes and charity work. Add onto that the fact that a deush got her pregnant…Things got bad."

And here I thought my supernatural life was hell. I couldn't imagine everyone knowing my life story while pregnant and I had to see their faces everyday. And in _high school_.

"Hey, could you be sure to not tell other people about this. No one else really knows the whole story but they're quick to judge."

"Oh, I get it. I'm shocked that you told me at all."

"I just hate all the crap she gets for a stupid mistake she made that millions of other girls make all the time. Sex in high school is like a cup of doom filled to the brim with long and short sticks. Mandy just happened to draw a short one."

Interesting point.

"So what about you? Any little Jesse Coopers running around?" I tried joking.

"Well," he started with a thoughtful look. "There's Johnny and Ross—they're both one—then Kyra's two—her mom's in the circus." I couldn't stop the disgusting giggles from vomiting out of my mouth. I was not expecting that kind of humor. "They love it when I come around every other month to visit." He joined me in laughing.

Mandy had come back with the drinks. I sipped on my water as a way of suppressing my laughter.

"Are you guys ready to order?"

"Yeah. I'll have the steak and curly fries."

"I think I'll have a chicken salad and also curly fries."

Twenty minutes later, Jesse and I sat shamelessly laughing at my failure to pronounce cinnamon.

"But seriously, I love cimmanon."

"_Cinnamon,_ Dawn. Say it with me: sin-uh-min."

"I'm sorry _cinnamon_," I recited slowly. "I put it in "

My eyes caught sight of a red-haired boy staring at Jesse from the other side of the diner.

"In…what, Dawn?"

I was going to answer something on the lines of 'everything' but the boy's eyes quickly settled onto me. The sharp gaze knocked the air out of me and left me feeling naked. And for a second, the color that had taunted me since I moved here flickered behind his eyes. But no, his eyes were hazel now. Pulling on a strand of my hair, I snapped my eyes back down to my table and tried to control my breathing.

"Dawn? Dawn, you okay?"

Distantly, I could hear a chair scraping across the tile floor and I focused back on Jesse. He looked worried. My response was a little delayed, but I think I made it believable.

"Yes. Yes, I am fine. I just thought I saw something…"

A hand planted itself on the surface of our table. My eyes followed the appendage to the boy whose eyes had confused me. If this was a cartoon, I would've gulped comically. He was looking at me with intent.

Jesse looked about as confused as me and questioned, "…Can I help you?"

"No."

He was still looking at me.

"Excuse me, but who are y—"

"Dawn, right?"

He knew my name.

"…"

"Seriously, who are you? She obviously doesn't know you, pal. You're scaring her. Just back off—"

"Hey! This is between her and I. This has _nothing_ to do with you—"

"It _does_ have something to do with me. We're both confused and here you are causing trouble—"

By now, everything they were saying was becoming distorted. I felt like I should know who this boy was but I didn't. And if I _did_ know him the way he thought I did, I was afraid. This boy looked like he had a serious bone to pick with me.

My name was being called.

"Hm?"

"Can we just go somewhere to talk?" The boy's eyes flickered to Jesse before coming back to me. "In private?"

I certainly did not want to go anywhere with this person whom I didn't know. Nothing about his features were familiar other than his red hair but I didn't know anyone outside the family with red hair.

But how did he know my name?

"W—What was your name, again?" I was very hesitant to ask, picking at what was left of my salad.

His mouth pulled into a straight line at my response. A frustrated sigh escaped his lips and he rolled his eyes.

"Miles—"

"Miles, right. Yes, I…I don't remember a Miles." It was best to squash this dangerous bug now. "I don't really feel comfortable with this situation." I looked back at Jesse for some kind of support.

"You don't remember me?" he ground out. His hands were gripping the table now.

"No."

I tried to make my face clear, for him to know I truly knew nothing about his existence and was genuinely confused. But his face wasn't showing that. No, he was livid. Desperate for me to remember.

"I'm _Miles_." He briefly looked away in frustration. "_You don't remember me?_"

"Dude, she does not remember you. You must be mistaken. Now, you're bothering us."

"It figures that deush wouldn't tell you."

I'm now realizing I _really_ don't know this guy. And I _really_ want him to go away. He might start causing more trouble.

Just then, my phone was screaming.

Fumbling hectically with the device, I took a glance at "Miles" and answered the phone.

"Hello?"

_"Dawn, I need you to come watch Peter. I got a call about a job interview and everyone else is out of the house."_

Will.

Seeing the opportunity, I smiled nervously at Jesse.

"I need to go babysit the little one. Think you could drop me off?"

"Of course."

While standing up, I shot a nervous glance at Miles. Jesse's look was more of annoyance.

"Hey, Miles!" a boy called from Miles' previous table.

His eyes met mine and it was like ice. Cold, cold ice. Dude had serious issues.

He huffed and sulked back to his table, his eyes never leaving my figure. Mandy must've saw us getting up 'cause she was soon right next to the table with our bill and a smile.

"You guys ready to pay?"

Jesse handed her a twenty-dollar bill without looking at the bill and nodded his head to her.

"Keep the change."

And with that, Jesse placed his hand in mine and pulled me to the diner exit. For some reason, I let the joining of our hands happen. As great as it felt, I was still afraid because I could still feel Miles eyes on me.

It was like ice. Cold, cold ice.

* * *

**Not sure if I'll be able to keep updating but I'll try. Edward Cullen in the next chapter :)**


	7. Chapter 6: Edward Cullen

**Another chapter for you guys. And as promised, Edward Cullen!**

**Disclaimer: ALL characters in this chapter are property of Arinlianette EXCEPT Carlisle and Edward Cullen.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**_6_**

**_edward cullen_**

After the incident at the diner, Jesse quickly pulled me to his car and shoved me inside before climbing into the driver's seat. I didn't mind as long as we got away from that Miles guy. Something about his demeanor left me baffled. The way he looked at me, albeit coldly, made me want to believe him. That he _did_ know me. That I _did_ know him.

Jesse turned down his radio to a hum before driving off. To where? I don't know. We didn't talk about it.

"Dawn, you're kind of quiet."

The sky was about as blank as my face was. The sun was no longer shining and the color of gray became my mood. I knew it wouldn't be long before my "refreshing, new start" would turn into a disaster. This is what always happened with my life. It just seemed to take me by surprise this time. And now that I think about it, things were progressively getting more and more worrisome than I had come to think:

When I was eleven, a man—_thing_—came to my home and murdered my father in cold blood. He tried to kidnap my baby brother, Peter, but my mother made a bargain and was taken instead. And just for kicks, he gave something to whomever was left of my family.

His powers.

Before it all went down, he told me he would be back for Peter _and_ his abilities. I'm still unsure if the promise was valid, but at the time I was hysterical. Some man had given me a power. A _power_. Powers couldn't exist! This wasn't freaking Harry Potter!

Then he told me he was a vampire.

Though it seemed like I had been dropped into some kind of freakish fantasy novel, I knew then that it wasn't Harry Potter; they didn't have vampires in Harry Potter.

Then I got my first and only boyfriend, Henry, about a year after the tragedy. He would buy me flowers and teddy bears. I loved it so much.

He cheated on me numerous times.

I remember hearing the moaning and laughing of a boy and a girl when Danny and I were alone in my backyard. Seeing as we were alone, I figured out it was coming from Danny's thoughts. He was fantasizing about his time with another girl. Thinking it was a past girlfriend, I let it slide. But at other times, I realized these experiences involved him dropping me off home then picking up another girl.

I was livid. I can still hear the snap of my hand when I went to sock him one but he anticipated it and moved out of the way. My hand exploded with the concrete wall right next to his head and new tears flooded over the already fresh ones from crying at his rejection of me.

Then I get to Forks,Washington and slowly begin to think that everything will be dandy.

I met David the vampire at Walmart.

Out of all of the sane places to encounter a vampire, _Walmart_? That's where normal people shopped. And he _knew_, somehow, that I wasn't normal. I probably could've read his mind to be sure, but that would just be another opportunity to recognize that what my father's killer and mother's kidnapper did to me was real.

And I refused to recognize that 'cause my life sucks. How do I know this?

Fact #1: Vampires are real.

Fact #2: There's always a pretty girl than me who will steal my boyfriend.

Fact #3: To avoid vampires and other trouble, my family moves to Forks, Washington to only meet _more_ vampires!

"Really? So you're just _not_ gonna talk to me?"

I sighed before resting my head on the head rest.

"Sorry, I'm just so confused. Worried, even. I have no idea who that guy was."

"Could he be a distant relative?"

Could he?

"No."

Jesse left it at that and drove me home.

* * *

It was a Thursday and the forecast was cloudy. There was a chill in the air and almost no one was outside. My thoughts the last few days had been circled around Jesse and Miles. Jesse was being really nice to me, acting as my chauffeur. I think I could even call him my friend. The Miles thing was still a strand of hair left behind without other evidence. I couldn't figure him out.

Sam, of course, has been over a couple times. It seems him and Ned have bonded over athletic things or whatever. They went running together every morning.

"How's the eye holding up?" I called from the wooden chair, intentionally annoying Heath to death.

Like every morning, I had no time for the useless blah that tended to come out of Heath's obnoxious little mouth. He meddled with me. I hit him in the eye.

He just glared at me from across the table squinting his left eye. It was watering up from agitation. Hopefully, he wouldn't annoy me for the rest of the day.

Will walked into the room carrying his keys and whistling like there was no care in the world. He stopped when he saw an angry Heath, who was holding his eye like an injured puppy. He acted like such a baby when it his father was in his presence.

"Heath, why are you holding your eye like that?"

Heath gave me an unnoticed glance and answered, "Uh...I fell."

Even he should know that liars never stuttered.

Will made a face before shrugging. He actually bought it! When he slapped Heath on the shoulder; Heath winced. I couldn't help but smile in my little corner.

The doorbell rang and we all looked up. Who would honestly be waiting at _our_ doorstep this early in the morning? The sun was barely up.

It's probably Sam.

A pair of rapid footsteps echoed throughout the household as a pumped up Ned came rolling down the stairs. He picked up his grey and purple hoodie and opened the door. I couldn't see who it was, but the tone of Sam's voice was pretty recognizable. Ned told the visitor to wait near the door as he rushed to grab his water bottle and shoes.

I saw the beautiful, dark face standing in front of the door. He caught me staring and waved nervously.

"Hey, Dawn," he said with his perfect smile.

"Hey, Sam. What're you doing here?"

Dumb question, Dawn! He goes running with your cousin every morning.

"Ned and I are going on our morning run."

"Right," was all I said, slightly embarrassed. A look of disappointment, I think, washed over his beautiful features. I wonder why.

"What?"

He furrowed his eyes. "What, what?"

"What do you mean 'what, what'?"

"I don't know. You said 'what' first!" Man, was he terrible at ignoring the subject.

"Well, I said 'what' because you looked kind of bummed."

He averted his eyes and was going to say something but that was until Ned came downstairs. He put on his tennis shoes before joining Sam at the door.

"See ya later, Dawnie!" Ned called to me over his shoulder, dragging our neighbor with him.

I could still see them through the front window and shook my head at how ridiculous the pair of them looked: whipping water from their water bottles around, punching each other's arms, and making idiotic football faces at each other. They had quickly become jock buddies.

"Hey, Dawn." I turned my attention over to my brother the sound of car keys jingling in my ear. "I'm going up to the hospital for my intern interview. I was hoping I could get your opinion on something later?"

Opinion on something? Hm, what could this be about...?

"So...you want me to go with you?" I replied, picking my dream journal back up to resume from where I stopped just a moment ago. "It's an interview. Not really seeing how I fit in there."

"I'll buy you lunch."

My brow raised. "With what money?"

Last time I checked, Will was the only one living in this house that had a paying job.

Spencer rolled his eyes before admitting, "The money Uncle Will just gave me." Why would Will give him money? Before I could inquire, my brother grabbed my hand. "Do you want free lunch or not?"

I'm not really sure why this is something to think about. Did I want to go have lunch with my older brother and risk having another awkward conversation about life or sit here writing and pondering about my nightmares—which by the way are all the same—and feel depressed about myself? I took a glance at my journal to see several repeated morbid words like 'red' and 'blood'.

I probably need to get out of the house.

* * *

An hour later, Spencer and I are sitting in the waiting room at Forks Hospital, anxiously waiting for a chance to speak with the doctor-in-charge. Spencer was ringing his hands and tapping his foot feverishly.

He was nervous.

"I don't really understand why you're so nervous. You're usually confident about things. And it's just an internship."

"A paid internship," he corrected me.

"That no one else is looking for," I corrected him. "Didn't you just tell me that this thing was kind of made up since you asked about it?"

"Well...yeah..."

Spencer had called up here a month before we moved, hoping that there was _something_ other than janitorial duties for him to do before he went back to school this fall. They didn't have an internship program already set up. But after his call, they thought about it. He was too ill-qualified to, well, do _anything_ and they didn't have any positions open. So they've made him an intern. Compensation was horrible but then again, Spencer probably wouldn't be doing much of anything but watching while here.

"I just get really nervous in hospice environments."

I looked at him. _Are you kidding me?_

"You're pre-med."

Awkward silence.

Before he could say anything else, I saw a beautiful man in a white jacket turn the corner. He was searching the room.

_So beautiful._

"I think that's my queue."

"Spencer! You'll do great." I smiled.

Spencer returned my gesture before straightening up, going into professional mode. I saw him greet the beautiful doctor with smiles and a handshake. _Man, he's so good at this._

Five minutes later, I start to get antsy. I had been sitting in this chair for way too long! Quickly, I stood up and made my way to the vending machines. Instantly, my mouth watered at the sight of the oreos. But it seems someone else beat me to the machine.

Two small children. And feuding.

"No, I want Hot Cheetos!"

"But you know I can't eat hot stuff."

"You're just being a baby."

"Well, I'm the one with the money."

I did _not_ have time for this.

Just as a sigh escaped my lips, I felt the presence of someone else next to me.

"Maybe the two you could get something that's pleasing to both?"

I felt myself go stiff. That was voice so sexy. Wait—where did that come from? My green eyes locked onto the golden ones next to me.

God. He's gorgeous! _Dawn, keep it together._

"But we don't want the same things."

"Perhaps a bag Cheez-its?" he suggested with an attractive leer.

"I like Cheez-its."

"Me too!"

Well, _that_ probably was solved quickly. Now the only problem is that I can't stop staring at this teenager with a weird look on my face. It was like his beautiful eyes put a curse on me. But that's silly.

The stranger smirked in amusement and asked, "Are you in line?"

By now, my eye was squinting a little bit. I _knew_ those eyes, golden and radiantly shining beautifully. I just can't...

_(When I glanced over to the forest beside us, I saw a hazel-eyed teen stare at me, probably wondering who I was. I looked back at Jesse to see him looking right back at the teen, as well. So they knew each other? Okay._

_As usual, I felt something tug at the back of my mind and I squinted my eyes around while trying to keep it back. It felt like a train was trying to jam itself into my head when there was no possible way it could fit. My eyes fell on the teen and my brain stopped hurting. There was something about his eyes that made me question their validity. And his skin...I must be exaggerating. He didn't have red eyes! So why was I even considering him as a candidate for a monster, the predator behind this road destruction? That's unusual.)_

My eyes finally blinked while I inhaled sharply. _Does he remember me? _I turned back to machine and struggled to find an answer to a question he asked like fifteen seconds ago.

"S-Sorry. I kind of...blanked. Or something."

He made a sound of acknowledgement, seeming to accept my explanation. I hope that meant the conversation was over. I went to slip my two quarters into the coin slot.

"Do I know you?"

The question startled me so much that I accidently put in the wrong numbers and skittles started unwinding from its confinement.

"W-What?"

His eyes seemed to stare into my soul and I wasn't even looking at him.

"You seem familiar. But I haven't seen you around much before now. You must be new."

"Uh—yeah." I heard the skittles bag drop. Maybe if I make polite conversation, I can get away with my oreos—erm, skittles. "I just moved here about two weeks ago."

"Well, welcome to Forks." He stuck his porcelain hand out. _No_. "My name is Edward. Edward Cullen."

While forcing me to shake his hand, he somehow managed get between me and the machine and was putting in his quarters.

"I'm Dawn Fleck."

He kept looking at me as he pressed numbers and smiled. "It's nice to meet you Miss Fleck."

Despite how uncomfortable I feel, it's getting really hard to deny how handsome he is—especially while he smiles like that.

"Have you found anyone to show you around town yet?" He bent down to grab something I wasn't really paying attention.

"Yeah. My neighbor, Jesse, has been really nice to me and my family."

"Jesse Cooper, right? He's a great kid." It kind of seemed like he needed to bite his tongue or something to stop from saying something else. His face was a little less friendly now.

"Anyway, um, I've gotta go. My brother," I pointed behind me and glanced over my shoulder to see if Spencer had come out. My luck. "Yeah, he's kind of done so—"

"Of course! I don't wish to hold you. My dad's actually waiting for me, also. Once again, it was nice to meet you, Dawn."

He smiled his impossibly handsome smile at me.

"Yeah. You too...Edward."

I took a calming breath and turned to join my brother and the doctor to realize Edward was following me. I walked even faster, twisting Spencer's arm into my own.

"Dawn! Hey, meet my new boss," the blonde doctor raised a teasing brow. "Er—colleague. I meant mentor."

His _mentor _smiled yet another beautiful smile at my brother and I.

"I'm called Dr. Cullen. It's nice to meet you, Dawn. I'll be overseeing your brother. I'm also the chief doctor of this hospital."

"It's nice to meet you too."

I just now noticed that Edward was standing behind Dr. Cullen.

"Oh, and this is my son, Edward." _No freaking way. _"Edward, this is my new intern, Spencer Fleck, and his sister, Dawn."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. And I believe Dawn and I have already gotten acquainted."

There was almost something sinister about the way he said that and looked at me. Like when the charming guy in suspense movies ends up being the stalker and slasher.

After the formalities ended, Dr. Cullen told my brother his schedule for the week and how to prepare for work on Monday. Excited, my brother shakes his hand again before taking my hand in his and walking back to the entrance.

"Oh, Dawn! You forgot your snack."

I turned around and Edward tossed me a pack of oreos. I looked down at it in confusion. _I accidently got skittles..._ I looked back up to find him smiling with the skittles in his hand.

Without thanking him, I left the hospital after my brother. I mean, what was that? How did he know I wanted oreos? How was he able to figure that out and "accidentally" get it so he could switch the candy for me?

Wait—are the cookies poisoned?

No. That's stupid. You can't poison a bag of oreos in the matter of seconds after just getting out of the machine. No, it had to be something else. Unless—

He saw me with Jesse when the road accident occurred. He remembered just like I did! And from what I can tell, he and Jesse don't like each other. Then why would he help me? And again, _how_?

As beautiful as he is, I don't like this Edward Cullen one bit. He's too confusing.


End file.
